In a First, Lawmaker Cites QAnon Conspiracy From City Council Floor

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In what appears to be the first instance of an elected official bringing up the QAnon conspiracy theory during official business, a city councilmember in California prayed during a lawmaker meeting this week that “God Bless Q.”

San Juan Capistrano councilmember Pam Patterson, who lost a re-election bid in November, used her goodbye address Monday to read a QAnon posting.

QAnon is based on a series of anonymous clues posted by a figure called “Q” and posits a world in which Donald Trump and the military are engaged in a secret war against powerful pedophiles in Washington and Hollywood. The conspiracy started in October 2017 and has grown steadily since then. Though followers remain largely relegated to the fringes of the internet, Patterson's remarks illustrate the extent to which the ideas are becoming more mainstream. Last week, former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci backed QAnon at a conference, saying the conspiracy theory has been “dead accurate.” He later insisted he had done no such thing.

Patterson used her speech to read from one of Q’s “clues,” which are posted on anonymous internet forums 4Chan and 8Chan.

“To quote Q, number 2436,” Patterson said. “For far too long, we have been silent and allowed our bands of strength that we once formed to defend freedom and liberty to deteriorate. We became divided. We became weak. We elected traitors to govern us.”

Patterson closed her reading with the QAnon motto: “Where we go one, we go all. Q.”

Patterson didn’t respond to a request for comment.

Patterson is no stranger to controversy. In May, she roiled the city council by refusing to make a lunch order from a halal restaurant, saying she was concerned about Shariah law. In May, however, she met with Trump in the White House as part of a delegation of California politicians opposed to the state’s sanctuary law for immigrants who entered the country illegally.